CHUNG-YONG Lee sent a message of thanks to friend Park Ji-Sung this week as he officially hung up his boots.

The Wanderers winger sent a basket of flowers to the ex-Manchester United midfielder, who announced his retirement at a packed-out press conference near Seoul on Wednesday.

A message on the gift read: “From Bolton Wanderers’ Chung-Yong Lee. Thank you for all the hard work.”

Park has quit football at the age of 33 because of a knee injury after winning five Premier League titles at Old Trafford.

Speaking at the start of his Wanderers career, Chung-Yong described how Park’s celebrity status back home in Korea had made him an imposing figure when they first started playing together for the national team.

"Before we became friends, I was a bit afraid of Ji because he's such a big star in Korea,” he said.

“I was in awe of him. We are room-mates with the national team, but I always did whatever I had to do to make sure he was comfortable.

"But now we are like brothers. We go out together to have meals quite a lot and enjoy eating together.

“I prefer it when Ji Sung cooks at his apartment to any of the restaurants we go to. He is a really good cook and does a very good Korean spicy chicken.

"He hasn't come to my house yet, though, because he has a PlayStation 3 and I only have a PlayStation 2, so that might be the reason!”